Demonstrating apparatus



May 10, 1938. c. w. CREMER DEMONSTRATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 2l, 1956 Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES DEMONSTRATING APPARATUS Charles W. Cremer, Des Moines, Iowa, assigner to Calumet Refining Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 21, 1936, Serial No. 116,978

Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for demonstrating the fluidity of oils or the like.

One important characteristic of certain oils, such as motor oils for winter use, is the ability 5 of the oil to flow freely at low temperatures, and

one object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus whereby the fluidity of an oil, or other liquid, at low temperatures may be demonstrated to prospective purchasers or to other interested parties.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus which will be simple in construction and operation and can be easily manipulated to effect the demonstration.

Other objects of the invention may appear as the apparatus is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken centrally through the apparatus with the supporting stand partly broken away; Fig` 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and partly broken away; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus with the supporting stand partly broken away. 5 In the drawing I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as comprising an outer receptacle within kwhich is mounted a smaller container for the oil or other liquid, the fluidity of which is to be demonstrated. The receptacle and the container have alined transparent portions to permit the action of the oil to be observed from the exterior of the receptacle. The receptacle is adapted to receive a suitable refrigerant, such as dry ice, which will lower the temperature of the oil in the container and thus enable its action at low temperatures to be observed.

In the particular embodiment here illustrated the apparatus comprises an outer receptacle 5 formed wholly or in part of glass or other transparent material. As here shown this receptacle is in the form of a glass jar having its upper end open, the open end of the jar being slightly reduced in diameter to provide a neck 6. This open end of the jar may be closed in any suitable manner and, as here shown, it is provided with a removable cap 'I which fits over the upper end of the jar and, if desired, a gasket 8 may be interposed between the cap and the edge of the neck 6. Various means may be provided for securing the cap in place, that here illustrated comprising a cross bar 9 the ends of which project beyond the jar and are provided with openings to receive clamping screws IIl which are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on a metal ring II extending about and rigidly secured to the neck of the jar. Wing nuts I2 on the upper ends of the screws enable the bar to be clamped tightly against the closure.

One or more upright partitions are arranged within the receptacle 5 to divide the interior thereof into two or more compartments. `In the form here illustrated there are two partitions I3 spaced one from the other and from the respective sides of the receptacle and connected one to the other at their upper and lower edges by a top member I4 and a bottom member I5, thus forming a housing the lateral ends of which are open adjacent to the transparent wall of the receptacle. 'I'he partitions are of such width that the housing can be inserted through the neck of the jarv and are preferably of a widthapproximately equal to the width of the neck so that when the housing is in position in the receptacle the partitions will be supported in chordwise relation thereto, as shown in Fig. 2.

Mounted in the compartment formed between the partitionsl3, which `constitute the side walls of thehousing, is a container for the oil or other fluid to be demonstrated, and this container is formed either partly or wholly of glass or other transparent material so that the contents of the container may be viewed from the exterior of the receptacle and the container may be tilted in any suitable manner so that the flow ofthe oil, which does not completely ll the container, may be observed. In the present instance the container is mounted in a fixed position between the partitions and is tilted by tilting the receptacle. As here shown, it is of a vertical length approximately equal to the height of the housing and the top member III of the housing is provided with an opening Iii in line with the container. The upper end of the container is closed by a stopper, such as a cork I1, which extends upwardly through the opening I6 and thus anchors the container to the housing.

The container, partly lled with oil, is placed Within the housing, the stopper I'I inserted and the housing and container then placed within the receptacle. A suitable refrigerant, such as dry ice, is then placed in the spaces or compartments formed between the partitions I3 and the `respective sides of the receptacle. Thus the refrigerant quickly lowers the temperature of the oil andby manipulating the apparatus the oil can be caused to flow within the container and `its uidity` observed. If desired, a thermometer I8 may be inserted through the stopper I'I into the oil and supported with its upper end projecting above the receptacle so that the actual temperature of the oil may be determined.

The receptacle and its contents are preferably supported for pivotal movement so that both the receptacle and the container may be tilted and, in the present instance, the receptacle is mounted between the side members `ZIJ of a suit` able stand and is pivotally supported on that stand by pivot pins 2| carried by upwardly extending lugs 22 secured to the ring II. `By so arwalls.

ranging the pivotal axis of the receptacle it is supported normally in an upright position but may be freely moved about its axis to any desired extent. The sidefmembersiZO-are.preferably foldable so that the apparatus as a whole may be packed in a small space and to this end each side member is formed in two partsv pivotally connected one to the other at'23.

The operation of the apparatus'will be'readily understood from the foregoing descriptionand it will be apparent that any desired oil or other liquid may be placed in thecOntainer and its temperature reduced to the desired degree. By then tilting the apparatus the fluidity-of the oil at this low temperature may be ascertained by observingits iiow, through thetransparent walls of the receptacle and the container.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to` be limited' to "thedetails thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled inthe art.

Having now4 fully described my invention, what I claim as .new and`desire to secure by Letters Patent, iis:

1. In a demonstrating apparatus,.a c1osed`re ceptacle having a transparent wall, and a container for liquid supported within said receptacle and having a transparent wall extending above and below thelevel of the liquid in said container and arranged'in line with the transparentwall of said receptacle, said receptacle having a compartment arranged to receive a refrigerant and support the same out of line Withsaid-alined tranparent walls, thereby permitting -the liquid in said container to be observed from the vexterior of said receptacle while it is subjected -to the action of said refrigerant.

2. In a demonstrating apparatusa-recep'tacle, two upright partitions arranged in said receptacle and spaced one from the other, each partition being spaced from the wall of said receptacle-to provide a space to receive a -refrigerantfanda transparent container for liquid 'supported-between said partitions, said receptacle having transparent portions at the respective ends of the space between said partitions. v

3. In a demonstrating apparatus,`a''closed receptacle having a substantiallycylindrical-transparent wall, upright partitions arranged in said receptacle, extending chordwise 'thereofj and yspaced one from the other, and atransparent container for liquid supported between said-partitions.

4. In a demonstrating apparatusfa closed -receptacle having a substantially lcylindricaltransparent wall, a housing mounted in said receptacle and comprising side walls spaced apart to-provide openings. at the lateral edges thereof and Yconnected one to the other at their-upper and lowerfedges, and a transparent container for liquid mounted in an upright position in said housing.

5. In a demonstrating apparatus; afreceptacle, a housing in said receptacle having Vupright side walls spaced one from the other and from the wall of said receptacle, a top member connecting the upper edges of said sidewalls and having an opening, an upright transparent container for liquidarrangedin said housing with fits open upper end in line with the opening in saidl-top member, and a closure 'for said container-extending lthrough 'said opening to retain-said container in an upright position, the wall of said receptacle having transparent portions in linewith the respective ends of the space between said side 6. In a demonstrating apparatus, a receptacle, a housing in said receptacle having upright side Wallsspaced one from .the other and from the wall lof said receptacle, a top member connecting the upper edges of said side walls and having an opening, an upright transparent container for liquid arranged in said housing with its open upper end in line with the opening in`said top member, a closure for said container extending `through said opening to retain said container tical compartments, at least one of which is adapted to receive a refrigerant and another of which has openings. adjacent opposite sides of said receptacle, and a transparent container for a liquid supported in the last mentioned compartment, said receptacle having --transparent portions in line with the openings in said last mentioned compartment to enable the liquid in said container to be viewed from the'exterior of said receptacle.

8. In a demonstrating apparatus, a receptacle having an open uppervend, a structure adapted to be inserted in said receptacle through the open upper end thereoi and to divide the interior of said receptacle into compartments, at least one of which is adapted to receive a refrigerant and another of which has openings adjacent opposite sides of said receptacle, a transparent'container for liquid supported in the last mentioned compartment, said receptacle having transparent portions in line with the openings in said last mentioned compartment, Va closure. detachably secured to the upper end of said receptacle, and means pivotally supportingsaid receptacle.

9. In a demonstrating apparatus, a receptacle having an open upper end, a structure adapted to be inserted in said receptacle through the openupper end thereof and to divide the'interior of said receptacle into compartments, atleast vone of which is adapted to receive a refrigerant and another of which is provided with alined openings, a transparent container forlliquid` supported in the last mentioned compartment, said receptacle Ahaving transparent portions lin line with the openings in said last mentioned compartment, a closure deta'chably secured to the upper end of said receptacle, a stand comprising side members between whichsaid receptacle is arranged, and means for pivotally supporting said receptacle on said stand. y

10. In a demonstrating apparatus, a closed receptacle having a transparent wall, a container for liquid supported in a fixed position within said receptacle and having a transparent wall extending above and below the level of the liquid in said container and arranged in line "with -the transparent wall of said receptacle, said'receptacle having a compartment arranged to receive a refrigerant and support the same out of line with said alined transparent walls, and means for-pivotally supporting saidreceptacle for move- 'ment about an axis transverse to said container and for maintaining said container normally in an upright position.

CHARLES W. CREMER. 

